God is with the Righteous (Psalm 14)

God is with the Righteous

Psalm 14

Sunday, May 17, 2026 — Land O’ Lakes Bible Church

Introduction

Have you ever considered how your thoughts of God affect the way in which you live? A professor of mine from Southern Seminary wrote the following in his recent Systematic Theology book,

“Ideas have consequences, especially ideas central to one’s entire theology or worldview.”[1]

And so, it is with our ideas about God. Ideas of who God is will affect how much thought we give to God in our day to day lives. Ideas of what God cares about, will affect the way we live.

If we think lightly of God, we will live in a way that only slightly reflects on him. For if we think lightly of God in that he only cares about people acknowledging him once and awhile, that will satisfy us and allow us to live most of our lives according to our own purposes and agendas.

If we think God is all about love, we will emphasize the need to love others while missing God’s holiness. If we think God is about hell, fire, and brimstone, we will miss the grace of God.

Our ideas about God affect how we live in this world. And if this is true of those who have poor and low thoughts of God, how much more so when we declare in the depths of our hearts, that there is no God? That is what we are confronted with this morning.

Please then take out your Bibles and turn in them with me to Psalm 14, Psalm 14. If you do not have a copy of the Bible, no worries. We have some Red Bibles there in your seats. And we ask that you would grab one of those and open in it to page #534 so that you can follow along with us this morning in what we are doing.

Psalm 14 is tied in nicely to the previous Psalms that we have been considering as of recent.

For Psalm 14, like Psalm 12 focuses on the reality how there are very few who are righteous (Ps 12:1-2; 14:1-4), and how the poor are plundered (Ps 12:5; 14:4,6). Where Psalm 9 was focusing on those who were seeking God, Psalm 14 now turns to those who fail to seek God. The theme of the arrogance of the wicked that was in Psalm 9 and 10 appears again here in Psalm 14.

Lastly, Psalm 14 returns to the theme of Zion. This theme began in Psalm 2 with this declaration:

Psalm 2:6 ESV

“As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

It is then picked up twice in Psalm 9 as it reflects on the Lord enthroned on Zion, as well as in the gates of Zion a rejoicing of the Lord’s salvation. And this is the final longing of our Psalm this morning in the midst of ongoing affliction.

Let us then now turn and hear the words of the LORD from Psalm 14…

Main Idea: God who sees everything is a terror to the wicked, but a refuge to the poor.

1. Yahweh’s Assessment of Humanity (Ps 14:1-3)

2. Yahweh’s Assurance of Refuge (Ps 14:4-6)

3. Yahweh’s Salvation Longed For (Ps 14:7)

1. Yahweh’s Assessment of Humanity (Ps 14:1-3)

We start with David’s assessment of humanity, followed by the LORD, Yahweh’s affirmation and then amplifying of that assessment. Verse 1…

In David here declaring that the fool says in his heart, “There is no God”, his declaration of the fool here is in regard to what he says in his heart. His being a fool has nothing to do with his I.Q. or his lack of knowledge about all sorts of things. He is a fool, because his ideas are affected by his declaration that there is no God.

But notice where the fool says these things. He says these things in the depths, and even possible the secrets of his heart. Outwardly, he may very well affirm that there is a God. But inwardly, he is declaring that there is no god. And the way we know this is what David ties to the outer doings of the fool.

David says, in light of the fool saying, “There is no God”, that he is corrupt, that his deeds are abominable and that none does good. The fool here a representative for the whole of those opposing David and those with him.

Following David’s observation of those around him, we now see Yahweh arise. Verses 2-3…

Yahweh confirms, yes, the fool declares this and that indeed they are corrupt. But it is not just the fools who do not do good. Yahweh declares, that in looking down and observing all the children of man, that is the whole of humanity, in searching to see if any seek for him, that he finds that all have turned aside, that all have become corrupt, and that there are none who do good in the most emphatic way. For he uses that English grammarian no no, a double negative!

Yahweh, our God, declares that there are none who do good in all humanity. That the state of humanity is corruption.

This is why the Apostle Paul in Romans 3, which we read part of earlier in our service, quotes from Psalm 14 here to make his point that both the Greeks and the Jews had failed to keep the law and therefore were condemned.

Paul wanted to make clear that none were righteous in and of themselves. And that is what we must then learn here from Psalm 14. That there is none of us who are righteous in and of ourselves.

In fact, every time we sin, we are acting like the fool here in Psalm 14:1 who declares, “there is no God.” For though we may declare that there is a God with our lips, our sin denies him and his existence when we give into it. This is what some have called a functional atheism; others call it a practical atheism.

We hear the word atheism today, and our minds immediately goes to that person who declares that there is no god or higher power in the world at all. And while that is true, that is not the only kind of atheism. For there is this functional atheism which arises when one acknowledges God, but they in the moment of their sin live in a way that denies God.

Let’s just take Adam and Eve there in the garden. They were created in the image of God, walked with God, and were given a mission mandate to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth with the glory of God. But then that ancient foe, the Devil, slithers in and begins to poison Eve’s heart with the poison of doubt as he declares that God is withholding something from them, keeping them from being like Him. And these lies cause Eve to doubt God and give way to sin in eating the forbidden fruit.

And the same is true for you and I when we give way to sin. For in the moment we choose sin, we functionally deny God and his existence.

We see this when venom sprays out of our mouths in the way we speak to and about one another. Our words acting like a sword to pierce and cut and divide rather than words that are gracious and gentle, even when we must rebuke. Words that tear down our spouse, our children, or even our fellow church members. Words that we speak, denying that these are to our fellow image bearers who are also made in the image of God. Our functional atheism arises in these moments.

Or it arises in that moment when our finger is lingering over that mouse to click on a website link as we declare that God really doesn’t care what I watch or do on the internet.

More Application???

And as we see then how we are like the fool here in Psalm 14, we must then also acknowledge that we really are this corrupt. That we really are this bad and that there is no good in us!

Too often we think that we have more good days that bad and that we just kind of slip in every now and then into these evil deeds. Psalm 14:1-3 paints a much worse picture here of us. It paints the picture for us that we are truly depraved people. And this corruption is part of our human nature.

Yes, the temptation will arise for some, maybe even some of you, to think this can’t be true. Surely you must not know the good people I do. Those good people who would give you the shirt off their backs to help. Friend, even they are depraved, just like you and I. For their lives deny God. And by God’s grace, we haven’t gone as far as we could have, but we have all fallen short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23).

So, what then should we do with this really bad news about ourselves here in Psalm 14:1-3?

1. First, we need to grasp the significance of this offense against God. For when that temptation comes to justify ourselves. We must in that moment borrow a picture from elsewhere in the Scripture regarding the potter and the clay. For what kind of clay says to the potter what it should or should not be. No, when a potter makes a vase, the clay is a vase and to function how the potter made it. The same is true with us and Yahweh. He made us and that is that. We are meant to live according to his standards of how the world is to be. He is our King, not us. Yet, we have done nothing but deny him. Or, we could use another illustration. Consider a parent who pours out everything they have to invest in their child, setting them up for success. And when all is said and done, they have gained success. But now despite all the parents care for them, they want nothing to do with the parent and give no thanks for all that they have done. Would this be good and honoring? And yet is this not what we have done in our sin against our God who created us in his image in likeness? In light of the goodness of our Heavenly Father, see our depravity, friends.

2. Second, in light of God’s surprising and gracious mercy, let us then humble ourselves before our God. Let us acknowledge that what the Bible reveals about us is true, and that we are the problem. But then let us humbly repent of our sin, that is turning from our devotion to it and return to our God in Christ Jesus!

For that is our need in light of Yahweh’s Assessment of Humanity here in point #1.

2. Yahweh’s Assurance of Refuge (Ps 14:4-6)

Yahweh has looked and observed that there is none who does good and that all are corrupt. And now in verse 4, he declares judgment, along with a shocking statement. Verse 4…

Yahweh reaffirms the foolishness of the wicked, of these evildoers, in that they have no knowledge as they continue to fail to call upon the LORD. But there in the middle, there is another group that Yahweh mentions. He says, my people.

If all are corrupt, if none does good, why this distinction? Especially a distinction that says Yahweh is with the generation of the righteous there in verse 5. It says (Ps 14:5)…

The distinction increases here in that the evildoers who have failed to call upon Yahweh are in great terror, but that Yahweh is with this generation of the righteous. But who is the righteous when all are corrupt? Verse 6…

The righteous are those who come under the refuge of Yahweh and his Anointed King!

Psalm 14 is both sobering and awe filled. We can look at it at first glance and begin to feel really bad about ourselves. Wondering how we can’t seem to get it together and love God like we should. And yet, here in Psalm 14, we are reminded of the most foundational piece of the gospel. That righteousness is not something earned! The righteousness needed for God’s salvation does not come from us! It comes from outside of us, in Yahweh’s Anointed King, the one promised in Psalm 2. The one who will ascend the hill of Zion and inherit the nations. For he is the righteous one who was able to ascend Yahweh’s holy hill. Therefore, it is his righteousness that is necessary for salvation.

Again, the Apostle Paul echoes this in Romans 3. We already read:

Romans 3:20 ESV

For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

But now, we read in the following verses:

Romans 3:21–22 ESV

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.

Psalm 14 and Romans 3 then show us that there is not any amount of good in us to achieve our own righteousness.

This is important for all, but for all the kids in here, I especially want you to grasp this. There is no checklist for you to run through in life to set apart for you the good life. You can’t check the box of showing up to church, check the box of some kind of confirmation class, of winning sword drills, of memorizing Awana verses, of doing all the right things. None of these in and of themselves declare that you are good and living the good life. For you can do all of these and even go through the waters of baptism and find that you are still corrupt and fail to do good.

Therefore, do not seek a righteousness of your own, but the righteousness of the only righteous one, Jesus! Come to the one who in his righteousness laid down his life for you, the corrupt, so that you, the corrupt, could have his righteousness be declared yours.

This is why Jesus came! He came to fulfill the law that we could not. And as the prophets foretold, he came to fulfill the Prophets that God’s salvation would come through his servant, the suffering servant who would be pierced for our transgressions (Is 53). The Anointed King of Yahweh would suffer a great humiliation in the cursed death of the cross, be buried, and continue under the power of death for a time.[2]

But he would then be exalted as he rose from the dead on the third day, ascended into heaven, was seated at the right hand of God, the Father where he continues to sit and will one day soon come to judge the world at the last day.[3]

And it is in light of this exaltation, that we are invited to come and take refuge in the LORD and his Anointed and be the people of God! For though David did not see these things, this is what his eyes and heart looked forward to. And we now, look back to the cross in light of such a salvation that has now come!

Beloved, what a great refuge we have in the LORD and his Anointed, our King Jesus! Let us then come and take rest in the refuge of the LORD and the Righteousness of His Anointed!

But friend, such a refuge is also being extended to you. Though you continue to say, there is no God like a fool, there is hope for those who will begin to fear the LORD and become wise. There is hope for those who are corrupt as they turn to Jesus and his righteousness that overcomes such corruption! Friend, come to Jesus today!

Yahweh is a refuge to us from the Evildoer

But these are not the only words here in Psalm 14:4-6. For while we see the hope of refuge promised for all who will come to the righteousness of Jesus, there is still a threat to God’s people.

For the fools who continue to have no knowledge of God continue to oppose God’s people. It says there in verse 4, that they eat the people as they eat bread.

Of course, this is not saying that they are literally cannibals. Rather, it is saying that these evildoers seek to bring harm and affliction and suffering to God’s people. That they attempt to shame the plans of the poor in making things hard on them.

But despite all their attempts, despite the affliction they cause, God is with the generation of the righteous. He is a refuge to them from the wicked. Yahweh will prevail, and his people with Him!

What comfort for all who belong to the generation of the righteous, that is all who are righteous in Christ! That despite all that the wicked throw at us, we are never abandoned, never alone, never without defense. Our God is with us and he provides us refuge!

And this causes the wicked to be in great terror, or literally to fear a great fear. For despite their declaring that there is no God, despite their rejection of the LORD’s Anointed King, King Jesus, they still tremble knowing even at the core of who they are, that they will be held accountable for what they do against Yahweh’s people.

Earlier this week, as I was doing my own devotional reading, I found myself early in the book of Samuel. I was in 1 Samuel 4 where the Philistine and Israel conflict begins to be mentioned. And here in 1 Samuel 4, the ark of the covenant is brought in by the Israelites as a means of attempting to go through a ritual in gaining victory. It fails and they lose the battle. But even in the midst of all this, as the Israelites in their folly bring in the ark, and shout thinking that this is the key to their victory, the shouts cause the unbelieving Philistines to tremble For they have heard of what Yahweh did against the Egyptians. Some of their details are wrong, but nonetheless, they fear in thinking Yahweh is in the camp against them.

Beloved, it is this same fear that causes even these evildoers who have no knowledge, who refuse to call upon the LORD to tremble. For they have heard various things of Yahweh, and these things while it may not, at least of yet, brought them to repentance, it causes them to tremble at the thought of Yahweh prevailing over them. And while they tremble, we as the people of God can rest in his refuge with confidence at his promised victory!

That’s point #2, Yahweh’s Assurance of Refuge.

3. Yahweh’s Salvation Longed For (Ps 14:7)

We have seen how sin affects all of us internally, we have seen how sin has affected us externally from those who oppose God’s people. And now, what do we do as we wait in the mist of God’s assurance to be a refuge to us? We cry out, longing for the fullness of God’s salvation. Verse 7…

When opposition is great, when corruption around us seems overwhelming, we cry out with the saints of old, let God’s salvation for Israel come out of Zion, let the fortunes of God’s people be restored as our King Jesus returns in visible glory! This is why the closing of our Bibles echoes the prayer in which we pray, Come Lord Jesus!

We long for the day when our King will have all the nations bowed before him. When all the foolishness of mankind is brought to a crushing blow as all knees are forced to bow in allegiance to our King! But we who have repented of our foolishness now, will be glad! We will be glad and rejoicing as our King restores all that is presently foolish and wrong in this world. As the wisdom of God prevails!

Conclusion

Ideas have consequences, especially our ideas about God. If we continue to think lightly of God, we will continue in our functional atheism to great degrees. So then, let us begin to think more deeply about God and who He is as revealed in the pages of God’s Holy Word, the Bible. Reflecting on these big truths, allowing them to shape how we live in light of such a Great God as we continue to run to him for mercy and refuge in light of the righteousness of Christ that is now at work in us who have been joined to him by faith!

Let’s pray…

[1]Steve Wellum. Systematic Theology: From Canon to Concept. (Nashville, TN, B&H Academic, 2024.

[2]See Baptist Catechism Question 30.

[3]See Baptist Catechism Question 31.